No, Not All Bernie Sanders Voters Are White

And #BernieMadeMeWhite proves it.

Bernie Sanders has a built a coalition of diverse voters — but that’s not what some news outlets, like CNN, are reporting.

After crushing his opponent, Hillary Clinton, in the Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington state primaries on March 26, CNN reported that the Vermont senator’s primarily garnering support from rural, white voters:

“These caucus states — largely white and rural — are the type of places Sanders traditionally does well,” Chris Moody, CNN senior digital correspondent, wrote. “In order to win the nomination, he must replicate this success in other, more ethnically diverse states that hold primaries, as he did in Michigan last month. In theory, it’s possible. But the reality is tough.”

To be clear: Sanders is still trailing behind Clinton by more than 700 delegates, and may lose the nomination, but suggesting that Sanders doesn’t have the support of some African-American and Latino voters is highly inaccurate.

As Vets for Bernie highlights, Anchorage, Alaska is considered the “most diverse place in America,” according to CNN (though the state's population as a whole is majority white). Similarly, Hawaii’s never had a majority white population, according to the Pew Research Center and Washington, while also majority white, is one of America’s most diverse states.

In response to the media’s failure to recognize the voters of color checking Sanders's name on their ballots, Leslie Lee III — a Louisiana-based writer and teacher — started #BernieMadeMeWhite. The viral hashtag challenges the media’s whitewashing of the election by reminding journalists that Sanders voters of color, do in fact, exist.

Bernie Sanders campaign platform introduces a comprehensive racial justice platform, to address mass incarceration and police violence, demands the empowerment of American Indians, and has secured the support of Erica Garner — the daughter of Eric Garner, a Staten Island man killed by a New York City police officer. So, it’s unsurprising that he’s gotten the support of some voters of color — if only the media would recognize them.